


Atticus Drabbles

by immie_bee



Series: Family of Us [1]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-13 03:40:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18023990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/immie_bee/pseuds/immie_bee
Summary: A series of one shots. Lactarius is such a good witch.





	1. A Gift

She is so beautiful who sees beautiful in everything. -Atticus

Lactarius made her way to the palace, rushing through the crowds, dodging between the mass of people. Others had caught glimpses of her wild brown hair, her bright grey shirt and green gold harem pants flashing by the people. Her shoes had been discarded and thrown in her bag as she began to race through the city streets. Children gasped in awe as a billow of smoke surrounded the witch as she transformed into her manticore form, her long legs carrying her much faster than her two human legs.  
The crowds parted as her brown/cream fur and black/blue exoskelton flashed in the midday sun, her blues eyes alight with demtermined fire to reach the palace in time for Nadia, Lucio, and the court's luncheon.  
By the time she arrived, everyone was making their way to the dining room, Lucio boasting loudly as he led the mismatched group. Servants barely having enough time to open the large doors as she skidded across the marble floor, her human like paws struggling to keep under herself. Vulgora grabbing Volta by the cuff as, Lactarius barely missed the smaller woman, toppling over head over heels in the process. Soon another blast of smoke filled the air as she uprighted herself, her wild misscut hair spewing in all different directions as she stood in a grand entrance.  
"I'm here!" followed by Nadia and Valerius groaning in unison at her deshiveled apperance, "What?!"  
Nadia walking over running a hand though her hair softly scolding the shorter woman, "You should have just took the carriage. As our witch, and part of our court, it's better to arrive late and in proper condtition than early and looking like a mess."  
Eyes lowering Lactarius whispered an apology to the countess, soon enough patting the witch on the shoulder. "Not to worry, you can tell us why you had to get here before lunch."  
Lucio sneering as he took a seat, "And why you smell like you were rolling around in the mud."  
Taking a seat between Valerius and Volta, Lactarius beamed, "Oh it was for Vlastomil!"  
The group looking up stunned at the cream colored woman as she removed her satchel from her shoulders as she dug around inside it. Vlastomil shrinking in his seat when Valerius made eye contact with him. It was no secret that Valerius and Lactarius were lovers, and while the both of them had been caught several times in the middle of the hallway or in a room caught up in each others passion, they held themselves in a dignified manner around others. But hearing that his lover was bestowing a gift to another member of the court, made the others uneasy and Valerius a little annoyed. She was kind, strong, beautiful in her own unique way; Valerius and the others would soon realize that most of the gifts she showered on the others were not by means of flirting, but genuine affection (like the gifts a mother or friend would give their family).  
Giving a happy laugh she placed her gift behind her back, the others leaning over, or trying to peer around her to see as she side stepped towards the flustered Praetor. As soon as she was close enough she rocked back and forth on her heels before giving a large smile.  
"I know how Nadia won't let Wriggler come onto the grounds anymore. And I know that most people don't' want her outside your estate. So....I thought I'd give you a way to keep Wriggler with you, when you have to leave her at home."  
Pulling a soft palm sized plush from behind her back, handing it towards the wide eyed man. The small plush looked like a child's doll, except a near perfect copy of Wriggler. The stitching was off in certain areas and near the tail end of the plush, the coloring was off, like she had ran out of that color fabric and had to switch to another fabric mildly different. Vlastomil's white eyes lit up as he took the plush in his hand turning it over inspecting the gift, noticing a small button on the belly of the plush.  
"There is an inner compartment on her belly....I put some of her compost dirt in it along with some lavender. Too not only help with the smell, but it help with anxiety." she spoke as she ran a hand through her hair as the others stared in disbelief. "I finished the sewing last night, it took a couple weeks to get everything right. I had to go to the seamstress for help a couple times."  
Vlastomil stared up her, eyes going bigger, and soon he was up on his feet grabbing the shorter woman, pulling her close. A happy squeal erupted in the room as the two shrieked in unison, one with absolute joy while the other pure happiness from the joy her gift caused. Pulling back Vlastomil held the plush up again looking it over, shoving it against his cheek.  
"I love it! It looks like her! Teeth and all, and even the smell! It's like you shrunk her down to pocket size!"  
Lactarius grinned as she sat back down next to Valerius, who gently took her hand in his under the table, "If you like her so much just wait, I charmed it too."  
Vlastomil cocked his head to the side as Lucio sneered next to him, leaning away from the plush sitting on the table between him the praetor. Lactarius raised her other hand, soft purple sparks gently raining down on the plush until it twitched, head turning up to the enthralled man.  
"She moves!"  
The others leaning over to stare in amazement as the plush slithered around Vlastomil's plate and up his arm to rest on his shoulders. Lactarius, smiled as she felt a hand leave hers under the table, and soon was gently stroking her thigh. Looking over to the consul she caught his playful smirk behind his glass and golden eyes smitten with his little witch's gift to the unusual man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lactarius manticore form was inspired by this artwork:   
> https://www.pinterest.com/pin/301530137550050798/


	2. Sweet Treats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you can't handle the witch, then get out of the kitchen

She was beautiful with kindness. -Atticus

Valerius flinched when the door to his office slammed open, Lucio storming in, "You need to control your woman!"  
Sighing Valerius sat back from his pile of documents to look over at the enraged count. His golden eyes staring up at Lucio as he walked over to the desk to get in the consul's personal space.  
"What did she do now? And anyways, how can I control her?"  
Lucio snarled pointing towards the door, throwing on the dramatics as he fell agianst the lounge chair.  
"Her and Volta are destroying the kitchen! She insisted that the cooks let her in to cook, and now she has kicked all of my staff out of the kitchen! She told them they are free to leave for the next five hours! HER! She's not the count! She can't order my staff to abandon their dutys to serve me!"  
Valerius rubbed his temples, not in the mood to deal with his bratty behavior, "You had lunch two hours ago! What could you possibly need from the cooks right now?"  
Lucio opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water as he struggled to form words. The consul sighed leaning back over his work, waving the count out of his room.   
"You are upset because Volta is getting all her attention. You need to learn to share, your excellence."  
The chair Lucio was in screeched as he pushed himself out of it and back and stormed out of the room down the hall, shouting curses as he retreated to his wing of the palace. Valerius sighed, arching his back to crack his back, before grabbing his wine glass and quill to continue his work.  
He didn't know how long he had sat there over his paperwork (two bottles of wine empty on the desk near his glass) but a loud shout of laughter from the hallway had him sitting back. Looking back at his nearly done paper work he stood up to follow the laughter. He did enough paperwork to give himself a break, he thought as his heels clicked down the halls to the kitchens. As he approached his nose was filled with different delicious smells, making his stomach grumble as he opened the doors.   
He stood, taking in the sight before him. Lactarius in her long brown skirt with gold trimm and her large over sized shirt (by the looks it had to have been Asra's), covered in flour, chocolate, and a vareity of misscellanous baking ingredients. Her normally wild hair was pushed back by a scarf as she was wrist deep in flour dough, laughing as Volta sat on the counter watching her as she sampled a cream puff. Volta's eyes wide, as she commented about how delicous the dough looked, or how she wanted to jump into the oven to eat whatever confection was currently baking. Smiling Lactarius looked up, meeting Valerius' eyes as Volta picked up another cream puff.  
"Valerius! Come on in! You hungry?"  
Pushing a strand of hair behind his ear, he walked over to the two women as Volta brought over two bread loaf trays for Lactarius. After the dough was seperated, hands washed, she turned towards the man handing a tray over to him and making him sit on a small chair near the peeling station.   
"Here! Eat up, you've been working hard!"  
He looked down at the tray picking at the different items on the tray, the meats and fruits he knew, but their was several items, crisps, that looked different. Sensing his hesitation she pointed out each item on the tray as he followed her hands.  
"You know the fruits I hope, strawberries, grapes, pineapples. Over here you have cured roast slices, peppers with cream goat cheese, and slices of salt and vineager zucchini crisps. I'm not the best at plating so you'll have to forgive me." she admitted as he looked up at her.   
"OH! Hang on!" she raced over to one of the cooling racks, playfully hitting Volta's hand as she went by, "don't eat that, you'll burn your mouth."   
Volta grumbling as she turned back to the cream puff tray. Turning she walked back with a couple slices of bread and a bottle of red wine, handing Valerius the glass as she poured him a glass. Valerius smiled as she turned to leave him with his tray as she continued to pull items out of the ovens, the kitchen soon filled with more delicious smells. After finishing a roast slice he spoke while taking a bite of the curious zucchini crisp, enjoying the texture.  
"How much food are you two going to cook?"  
Volta popping another cream puff into her mouth as she smiled, kicking her little legs in the air as she sat on the counter, turning to Lactarius as the witch repsonded, "Enough to feed all of us. I told the kitchen staff to come back tomorrow morning. It's not everyday I can cook a big meal! Asra only wants blue tounged skink and frankly I'm tired of cooking it."  
Chocking on his wine, Valerius looked over at the already growing mass of food. She had thought of everyone's favorites plus adding some of her own recipes. Valerius groaned as he heard the loud curses and heavy footfalls of Lucio's boots ring out down the hallway, this was going to be an interesting night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I am hungry......off to make zucchini crisps!


	3. Age of Agression

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Home train your children....or Lactarius will scar the for life!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Her manticore form was inspired by this artwork: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/301530137550050798/

Life's a journey to find people weird like you. -Atticus 

"FATHER! The Countess won't let me pet her owl! FATHER ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!"  
Valerius rubbed his temples as the ambassador from Murkra son screamed again....for the hundredth time this evening since arriving that morning. Honestly if the child had blonde hair and black eyeliner, Valerius would have sworn he was Lucio's child. Everyone including the Count was beginning to tire of the brat. The ambassador, taking another swig of wine (like a barbarian Valerius noted: how can one be considered a noble if they don't know how to drink their liquor) as he continued to let his son scream and demand while in the palace. The fat man still not willing to negotiate a trade that both he and Nadia and Lucio could agree on, keeping his snobby attitude as him and his son demanded the staff to wait on them hand and foot. Lactarius was growing tired of it as well, not many things upset her, but the lack of home training the child had was royally pissing her off.   
"YOU! WITCH! Entertain me!" the raven black haired pale child demanded, pointing to the irate woman.  
Hair raising on end, a soft wisp of smoke forming the hackles of her manticore mane, canines slowly growing, Valerius watched hoping she wouldn't maul the child to death.   
"You can say please." she hissed.  
The ambassador over hearing turned to her, "AND you are a lower class citizen. You will entertain my son or your count will hear about your insolence. And my king will hear about how brutish you Vesuvians are."  
Standing up she glared at the large noble man, "As you wish, SIR....but let me go collect my things if I may."  
Waving her off he snorted, continuing to discuss further trade deals with Nadia and Lucio as Valerius sat back sipping his wine. He prayed she wouldn't be long, if there was one thing he hated, it was when the round child turned towards him demanding entertainment.  
After a few minutes Lactarius returned with a grin plastered to her face, shortly after the boy was shouting and demanding more magic from the exhausted witch. She continued her parlor tricks for the child well over an hour before she was beginning to tire. After a particularly difficult fire trick that had everyone enthralled, except for the bratty child, Lactarius sat down catching her breath. Thanking Portia as she handed her a glass of water, she slowly drank as the boy walked over stomping his feet.   
"MORE MAGIC!"   
Glaring up from her seat on the floor she leaned back, "Let me relax for a few minutes and then I will continue."  
The boy shouting, "NO! You will continue now! Or else!"  
Nadia raising her voice to calm the child before the ambassador shouted over his shoulder to the witch, "You will continue! I am an important ambassador and my son deserves to be treated with the best magic! NOW CONTINUE!"  
The three Vesuvian court members were about to lose what little sanity they had left before the shuffling of feet from across the parlor caught their attention. Valdemar walking in from the hallway looking over at the group before, pushing past the stunned child. Valdemar walking over to Lactarius, their red eyes burning deep into her blue ones, before leaning over running a hand over her neck, as if inspecting her. They then leant to one knee, groping her rib cage, then opening her mouth, before standing back up giving an affirmative nod.  
"As head physician, I don't suggest she continue anymore. Magic this powerful could be dangerous." they spoke with a hiss as the cocked their head smiling a row of sharp teeth.  
The boy backed up just slightly, cowed by the intimidating figure before him until his father shouted once more, "I don't care! She is a lowly witch, if she dies then they will just have to find another."  
Valdemar turned towards the still sitting witch, before turning and shrugging, "As you wish." Before leaving the room they leaned over whispering into the ambassador's ear, "Don't say I didn't warn you. Witches as powerful as she is, usually demand tribute....for their hunger."  
After a few tense moments Lactarius was back up again, performing tricks for the boy under tense gaze. Valerius sat up as he watched her falter, stumbling a couple times under exhaustion. Nadia trying to get her to stop while being diplomatic, while Lucio tried not to murder the arrogant ambassador in front of his child. After finishing her routine, she went to sit down again, as the child yelled for more.  
A loud gasp filled the parlor as Lactarius hit her knees, grabbing at her throat eyes rolling to the back of her skull. Valerius and Nadia were standing, before they knew it the lights in the parlor flickered, slowly the flames turned to a deep red. The woman was consumed with a soft grey smoke billowing around her, the ambassador and Lucio finally standing to stare at the smoke filled area in front of the young boy. Said boy, had fallen during as smoke billowed around him was now sitting back in fear as a human like paw emerged by his leg, clutching his head as his teary eyes went wide. A loud commanding voice inside their minds had everyone clutching their heads, nearly bringing Valerius to his knees.   
~Who demands magic?! Who demands more!~  
The boy staring up as the figure emerged from the smoke, standing tall above him, snarling down. The manticore's scorpion tail rising behind her maned head as she grabbed the boys leg. The ambassador letting out a startled shout, as his son sat frozen in the grip of the creature.   
~Blood. I DEMAND BLOOD!~ leaning down to sniff at the stunned boys chest ~This will do.....~  
The long human like fingers brushed against the boys chest, pulling a heart out with it. Nadia gasping as the blood ran down the witches manticore arm. Lucio and Valerius both dumbstruck as the boy continued to sob, his father running over clutching him, kneeling before her.   
"Don't take his heart! Please I beg you! Don't kill my son, oh great witch. We will leave! And never come back!"  
The manticore's blue eyes piercing into the ambassador's, ~And the trade deal with my Count and Countess? They have been such patient and gracious hosts....and before you answer remember....~ she gave the heart a squeeze ~A heart is a terrible thing to lose.~  
Eyes wide as he clutched his son as his son screeched in agony, "Its a deal! Just please! Return his heart and we will leave!"  
Lactarius chuffed giving the heart a long lick, Valerius and Nadia nearly gagging at the sight, before placing her human like paws back against the boys chest. Soft blue sparks engulfing his chest. Sitting back on her haunches she stared at the two, ~It is done. Now leave.~  
The group watching as the man placed his son under his arm as he made a mad dash towards his carriage waiting outside, leaving the pained cries of his son in their wake. All of them turned wide eyed as she transformed back into her human form, grimacing as she reached around behind her, pulling out a heart waving it with a smirk towards the still stunned group. Valdemar seemingly appearing out of thin air, walking over to her holding out their hands with a wicked grin.   
"From the delicious screams that are still being sung outside, I'm going to assume the heart trick of yours played off."   
Laughing she fell on her back giving a thumbs up as she handed the heart back to the doctor, "Oh yeah. It's amazing what a little illusion cast and a bloody organ can do. And uh, thanks for letting me borrow it for a couple minutes. Uh, I got a little too dramatic, and licked it so, hopefully that doesn't...uh effect it."  
Shrugging their shoulders Valdemar waved their hand as the left cradling the heart past the three stunned people, their jaws still slack. Nadia was the first to recover.  
"As much as I hated that, I can't help but thank you. I would have handled it more....diplomatic, but well done none the less."  
Lucio ran over to her, falling to his knees before her, laughing as he picked her up swinging her limp body around, "That was amazing! Spectacular! Valerius make a note for her to be in ALL of our meetings with diplomats from our neighboring cities!"  
Valerius rolled his eyes as he watched Lactarius close her eyes and let herself be cradled against the count, ready for a nap after using up most of her magic. Lucio sitting back on his large plush chair running golden claws through her messy hair, as Nadia and Valerius filled out the rest of the paperwork in hushed voices. After a few minutes the silence shattered when Lactarius mumbled in mild annoyance, "Lucio I can feel your boner."

**Author's Note:**

> Lactarius manticore form was inspired by this artwork:  
> https://www.pinterest.com/pin/301530137550050798/
> 
> immiebee@tumblr


End file.
